Class Eight trucks typically have a hood assembly including a hood which is pivotally coupled to the frame of the truck, typically near the lower front edge of the hood. A pair of locking assemblies located at the sides of the hood permit the hood to be locked in an open position once the hood is opened to impede unintentional closings and injuries. The locking assemblies used with Class Eight trucks are therefore very different from the locking assemblies associated with a typical passenger car hood assembly, which has a locking assembly for locking the hood in the closed position, not the open position.
Previously developed hood assemblies require the user to walk to the side of the truck to disengage the locking assemblies before walking to the front of the hood to push the hood closed. Thus, the locking assemblies are in an unlocked position while the user walks to the front of the hood. During this period, the hood may be unintentionally closed, such as by a wind gust, causing injury to the user. Further, the closing process is cumbersome as the user has to first walk to the side or sides of the hood to unlock the locking assemblies and then back to the front of the hood to rotate the hood to the closed position. Thus, there exists a need for a hood assembly that offers increased safety for the user and is less cumbersome to operate.